neglect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight.
The public neglected his genius for many years.
- Synonyms:
- ignore
-
to be remiss in the care or treatment of.
to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.
-
to omit, through indifference or carelessness.
to neglect to reply to an invitation.
-
to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.).
to neglect the household chores.
-
to fail to take or use.
to neglect no precaution.
noun
-
an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence.
The neglect of the property was shameful.
- Synonyms:
- heedlessness, inattention, default
-
the fact or state of being neglected.
a beauty marred by neglect.
- Synonyms:
- heedlessness, inattention, default
verb
-
to fail to give due care, attention, or time to
to neglect a child
-
to fail (to do something) through thoughtlessness or carelessness
he neglected to tell her
-
to ignore or disregard
she neglected his frantic signals
noun
-
lack of due care or attention; negligence
the child starved through neglect
-
the act or an instance of neglecting or the state of being neglected
Usage
What does neglect mean? Neglect means to fail to pay enough attention to someone or something or to not do enough to properly care for someone or something.In terms of things, neglect usually means that you haven’t maintained them properly. To neglect your car is to fail to make sure it gets the maintenance it needs to keep running properly. To neglect your health is to fail to do anything to maintain it. To neglect your duties is to disregard them, often due to being preoccupied with other things.When it’s used in the context of people, neglect implies a lack of attention and care. When you neglect a friend or romantic partner, it means you don’t spend enough time with them or you fail to consider or care about their emotional needs. However, the word neglect is often associated with even more serious situations. When the word is used in relation to the care of children, it means to fail to properly care for them in a way that’s equivalent to mistreatment or abuse. This is sometimes called negligence (which is a synonym of neglect and is based on the same root).As a verb, neglect can also mean to fail to do something, such as through indifference, thoughtlessness, or carelessness. This sense of the verb is typically followed by another verb (in its infinitive form), as in I neglected to check a single box on the form and now I have to start over. Neglect is also commonly used as a noun meaning the act or an instance of neglecting, as in These children are victims of neglect, or the state of being neglected, as in The house was in a state of neglect.The adjective neglectful can be used to describe a person who neglects or their actions. The word neglected can also be used as an adjective, as in neglected children. Example: After years of neglect, these pets are being adopted into loving homes.
Related Words
See slight. Neglect, dereliction, negligence, remissness imply carelessness, failure, or some important omission in the performance of one's duty, a task, etc. Neglect and negligence are occasionally interchangeable, but neglect commonly refers to an instance, negligence to the habit or trait, of failing to attend to or perform what is expected or required: gross neglect of duty; negligence in handling traffic problems. Dereliction implies culpable or reprehensible neglect or failure in the performance of duty: dereliction in a position of responsibility. Remissness implies the omission or the careless or indifferent performance of a duty: remissness in filing a report on the accident.
Other Word Forms
- neglectedly adverb
- neglectedness noun
- neglecter noun
- neglector noun
- overneglect verb (used with object)
- preneglect verb (used with object)
- quasi-neglected adjective
- self-neglect adjective
- self-neglecting adjective
- unneglected adjective
Etymology
Origin of neglect
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin neglēctus, variant of neclēctus (past participle of neglegere, neclegere “to disregard, ignore, slight”), equivalent to nec “not” + leg-, base of legere “to pick up” + -tus past participle suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Black Country assistant coroner Helena Gallagher gave a narrative conclusion, noting the 73-year-old's death was contributed to by neglect in the medical treatment she received at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
From BBC
For example, the notion of emotional abuse or neglect are relatively new frameworks that are very active in the complaints of adult children today.
“But unlike physical abuse and neglect, financial abuse is more likely to occur with the tacit acknowledgment and consent of the elder person and can be more difficult to detect and establish,” the researchers note.
From MarketWatch
"The economy has been destroyed," he said, accusing the ousted government of neglecting ordinary citizens.
From Barron's
Rubble is all that remains of the building once home to Adnan Mardash's grocery shop in north Lebanon's Tripoli after it collapsed, killing 14 people and shining a spotlight on the impoverished city's neglect.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
